


Lines and Poems

by TOOYOUNGTOPANIC



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Bad Pick-Up Lines, Fluff, Love Poems, M/M, Neighbors, Pick-Up Lines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 11:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13612638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TOOYOUNGTOPANIC/pseuds/TOOYOUNGTOPANIC
Summary: Newly moved-in, Baekhyun didn't expect his next-door neighbour, Do Kyungsoo, to be so pleasing to the senses. As Byun Baekhyun, the equally handsome freelance romance author that he was, and "master" of the art of flirtation, he did exactly what he always told himself he'd do to get the person of his dreams: Be Himself.





	Lines and Poems

**Author's Note:**

> Before reading this, I would just like to express my thanks to someone. That person has helped me around more than halfway throughout the journey of writing this, and although contact has been lost, I would still like to say thank you to them for helping me in planning every single detail out of this piece of work. It was a challenge to complete, but it was fun, so I hope readers will have fun reading this too!

 

Kyungsoo was going to miss Chanyeol, whom had been his next-door neighbour since the giant moved into the quaint apartment complex a year after he did. Five years had passed since then and now it was time for the taller to move out for a change of scenery.

"Thanks for helping me pack, Soo," Chanyeol flashed his signature wide grin, the one that was all gummy and toothy but otherwise sincere.

"It's no problem," Kyungsoo replied and returned a smile of his own: a closed-lipped one. He proceeded to fold the box's lids back into place, taping it up securely with some duct tape. 

It was the weekend, and Kyungsoo decided to give Chanyeol probably the last good deed he could do both as a friend and neighbour which was helping the other pack his belongings into boxes. Everything else was sorted now, and they were finally down to the last remaining items which were Chanyeol's books littered about the living room, some of which were probably never read at all by the taller man. Kyungsoo was damn sure he never saw Chanyeol even pick up that hardbound sci-fi novel off his shelf once, but how would he ever know?

Looking around the nearly empty place with his hands over his hips, it finally dawned onto Kyungsoo that his tall neighbour was moving.

The taller was definitely going to be missed. To Kyungsoo, he was a great listener as much as he was a talker, and was overall caring and responsible of his actions. He wasn't clumsy, which was admittedly what Kyungsoo expected from an extremely tall man like him when they first met, but not once did Chanyeol break anything that wasn't his own—they were more so broken either due to wear and tear. Kyungsoo always woke up to faint, soothing music coming from the other side of the wall, too, and it was nice. Although Chanyeol was an overall good friend and considerate neighbour, Kyungsoo was definitely not going to miss the other's booming loud voice.

* * *

 

A few days after helping his tall neighbour pack his belongings, Chanyeol moved away from the apartment next door. The only things he left behind for Kyungsoo were his contact details ("Just in case you need someone to talk to," Chanyeol stubbornly reasoned before he officially said goodbye) and a small succulent which was nearing its death from neglect. The poor little thing was lucky it was brought into good hands.

It was quiet for a couple of weeks. Kyungsoo went about his days without disturbance. He went to work during the weekdays, and did the chores every weekend, which included tending to his tiny plants–including Chanyeol's—which were perched on the windowsill.

After five full years of chaos, there was nothing to disturb him and it felt pretty odd. Now, Kyungsoo wasn't welcomed with soothing, peaceful music just from the other side of the wall every morning. Nobody would knock on his door to ask for sugar or cereal because someone ran out. Although Chanyeol wasn't too particularly loud and troublesome to deal with, Kyungsoo had definitely noticed the deafening silence due to the taller’s lack of presence. Suddenly, he missed the noise.

It was a Saturday afternoon when a few faint scuffling sounds and heavy thuds from the other side of the living room wall piqued Kyungsoo's interest. Was the apartment next door rented out?

His novel long forgotten yet thankfully bookmarked, Kyungsoo padded over to the front door, not bothering to put on some slippers. He poked his head out the doorway after creaking his front door open, ducking back just in time to dodge a huge box that would've hit him full force if he didn't notice it in time. As the box passed by, Kyungsoo was able to lock eyes with the person carrying it: a blond man about Kyungsoo's height but probably a mere two centimeters taller. He had round glasses over his brown almond-shaped eyes, a button nose and a puppy-like pout.

"Oh shit," was the first thing what Kyungsoo assumed was his new neighbour said to him. Kyungsoo lifted up an eyebrow. 

"Hello to you, too," he mumbled as he briefly eyed the large box in the other's arms. It looked pretty heavy. Perhaps Kyungsoo could do some neighbourly good deed and help the other out. "Do you need some help with moving in?"

For a few moments, the other said nothing. He simply stared as if in a daze and Kyungsoo wasn't sure if maybe there was something smeared onto his face that he just hadn't noticed. Kyungsoo wiped both of his cheeks but felt nothing. He also glanced at his own hand but there was nothing.

"Umm..." Kyungsoo peered his eyes away, suddenly nervous under the other's staring.

"Baekhyun, what's taking you so long?" a chirpy voice broke the other's staring. Both Kyungsoo and his new neighbour, Baekhyun, turned to the direction where the owner of the voice stood by the doorway of what was once Chanyeol's apartment. Just like the two of them, the new guy was short in stature yet had a bit of a muscly build. He had jet black hair and quite a sharp jaw, sporting a rather stern look directed to Baekhyun.

"Oh! Are you our neighbour?" the guy's face instantly lit up upon sighting Kyungsoo poking his head out of his front door. "I'm Jongdae! It's nice to meet you!"

Jongdae walked and closed the one metre gap with a skip in his step, holding out his hand for a friendly handshake. His stern demeanour was instantly replaced with a toothy grin and eyes crinkled into thin moon-shaped crescents. This guy was very bright. He reminded Kyungsoo of Chanyeol.

"Kyungsoo," he responded as Jongdae and he shook hands, "Nice to meet you too."

"What's going on here?" Jongdae chirped as his hands fell to rest on his hips. His gaze looked to and fro between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun without the toothy grin leaving his face.

"N-Nothing! Nothing. Umm, Kyungsoo asked if we needed his help to move," Baekhyun finally piped in, having finally regained composure.

“Oh!” Jongdae turned to Kyungsoo with eyes brighter than the sun. “That’s so nice of you, Kyungsoo! We’re only down to the last two boxes down there though, but if you’d still like to help us out, then you’re more than welcome to! And, in exchange, how about some tea? Or are you a coffee drinker?”

“That’s not necessary,” Kyungsoo smiled politely with a little wave of his hand, “I’m just happy to help.”

“You should learn more from this guy, Baek,” Jongdae smirked who earned an unamused glare from the other. Baekhyun stomped off into their new shared apartment with the heavy box in tow, leaving the other two at the hall.

That afternoon, since Baekhyun was able to handle the other box, Kyungsoo helped lug one box from the ground floor of the apartment complex to the fifth floor. It wasn’t much help, but it was still help and Kyungsoo was glad to be able to do something good for his new neighbours. Although Jongdae once again offered him something to drink when they were all together in the box-cluttered living room, Kyungsoo refused the offer with the sole reason that nothing was even unpacked yet. With a sheepish laugh, Jongdae agreed and let him go back to his apartment with the promise of a treat another day.

* * *

 

Baekhyun sat by the dining table with a pile of novels and other reference books next to his switched on laptop. He aimlessly flicked through many websites–from those sites with sappy love anecdotes, to those about asteroids in space. His cheek was propped on his palm, looking exceptionally bored and uninspired.

Being a freelance author has its ups and downs. Baekhyun was glad he had the freedom to write everything and anything he wanted with all the time in the world to do so. The only major con to his job was inspiration. Sometimes, he’d have a flicker of it from something appealing which would be just enough to set him going. Other times, he’d have the longest writer’s block known to man, where nothing would spark in his mind to get him to start writing. It was frustrating to say the least, but what else could he do? He knew long ago that forcing himself to write would yield low results.

His eyes were beginning to sting. Had he forgotten to blink them from time to time again? Just how long had he been sitting there anyway?

His eyes flickered to the time at the bottom right of his laptop screen, groaning in frustration as he realised he’d been sitting there for a good five hours without any luck. He pushed off the table with a loud sigh, shutting his eyes for a few minutes before standing up and heading towards the kitchen to get himself another cup of coffee. It was the afternoon, sure, but he always believed that any time is the best time for good cup of joe.

He was already in the middle of stirring his steaming cup of coffee when he realised they ran out of milk.

“Great,” Baekhyun said to no one in particular, setting aside his mug then looking around the small kitchen while weighing his options. He could easily go to the nearest convenience store without a problem, but the only issue was that he didn’t have the front door key. Since Jongdae had work today, it was only logical for him to be the one to have the key duplicated after work. Thus, Baekhyun was left to his own in the apartment; not that he wasn’t used to it anyway.

Surely, Baekhyun could just leave the door unlocked and quickly go to the store. He’d grab some milk, then come back, and none would be the wiser.

Baekhyun just couldn’t drink his coffee without a bit of milk.

Set on his one and only plan, he walked over to the front door to slip on his shoes, not bothering to change from his outfit of slightly worn gym pants and a plain tee. He wasn’t going to take very long anyway. Making sure he had his wallet and phone, he flicked the lock then left the apartment in a haste, determined to be back in less than five minutes.

“How can I help you, sir?” The cash register said whilst clad in her work uniform consisting of a garishly red polo with the logo in white, and black slacks. She took the milk carton which Baekhyun placed on the counter, scanning the item and slipping it into a plastic bag.

After paying for the item and picking up his packed purchase, Baekhyun speed-walked back to his apartment building. As he waited for the elevator, a heavenly smell wafted past his nose just as a figure appeared on his left. He turned and was met with his good-looking neighbour, Kyungsoo, wearing what seemed to be a chef’s uniform. Was his neighbour a professional chef?

Suddenly, Kyungsoo shifted his gaze towards him, his large almond eyes piercing him through the chest with just how amazingly mesmerising they looked.

Wait. Did he just describe his neighbour’s eyes as mesmerising?

“U-Umm, hi,” Baekhyun drawled out lamely just as the elevator dinged to indicate its arrival. In return, Kyungsoo did some sort of a half-smile.

“Hey,” he greeted back, which did all sorts of tumbles and spins within Baekhyun’s chest. Kyungsoo then turned his gaze back to the opening elevator doors to step inside, holding the doors open for Baekhyun to walk in with him. They both waited in silence, the short elevator trip up to their designated floor feeling like hours for Baekhyun rather than minutes. Not only that, but Baekhyun couldn’t stop smelling the faint scent of something sweet—like vanilla—and freshly baked bread.

Baekhyun surely wanted to stir up a conversation, or even something as simple as small talk. After all, they were neighbours, and good neighbours would talk occasionally about anything in the chance they meet. Usually one to be extremely talkative, he was strangely out of ideas on what to say. His mind couldn’t stir up anything and before he knew it, it was too late as they both reached their respective front doors.

It was definitely not creepy to be staring at Kyungsoo whilst the shorter man searched in his backpack for his front door keys.

Baekhyun blinked himself awake, quickly shaking his head and swiftly shifting his gaze ahead of him before he could really be caught by his own neighbour and possibly be labelled as “weird”. He should really go inside his apartment. His coffee was waiting for him. It was probably cold by now.

He turned the knob and pushed the door, except it wouldn’t budge. It retaliated with a force sending Baekhyun nearly face planting himself against the wooden surface.

“What the—“ Baekhyun was puzzled, trying and trying again to open the front door. He twisted the knob this way and that, but the door just wouldn’t give.

“Having troubles?” Kyungsoo’s amused voice rang through is ears.

“I swear I left the door unlocked!” Baekhyun exclaimed whilst giving the said door some frantic pushes. Maybe it was just jammed? Although, what could possibly be blocking the front door from the inside?

“You don’t have a key?”

“Oh, no… We only have one, and it’s with Dae right now,” Baekhyun replied after a few more tries, finally sighing in defeat upon realising his fate. It looked like he’d just have to wait by the door until his roommate came to rescue him. He slumped forward in slight humiliation for having to be in such a predicament right in front of his own next-door neighbour, knocking his forehead tiredly against the wood with a loud thump.

“Would you... like to come inside?” Came Kyungsoo’s soft reply which caught the freelance author completely off guard.

Turning wide eyes towards the other male, Baekhyun spluttered, “I-Is it okay?”

“Yes, it’s okay,” Kyungsoo gave him a small smile, “Where else are you going to stay?”

He then pushed open his door, motioning for Baekhyun to follow him inside before disappearing from view. Baekhyun glanced at his door then all too quickly took the few steps needed to be welcomed inside his doe-eyed neighbour’s apartment. Again, Baekhyun was met with the scent of fresh bread and vanilla although the latter smelt stronger inside the humble abode. He was led into the living room after toeing off his shoes by the front door, his eyes roaming around the small but homely place.

“Please sit,” Kyungsoo said from behind him, causing Baekhyun to turn to face the other man. “Would you like something to drink? Tea? Coffee? Water?”

“Oh, water is just fine,” Baekhyun answered in a rather soft voice. He hastily trotted over to the couch to sit as Kyungsoo disappeared into the kitchen, but not before giving him a welcoming smile.

Baekhyun took this opportunity to have a look around, noticing pictures of what he assumed to be Kyungsoo’s family hung in photo frames on the beige-painted wall behind him. There was also a shelf right next to the television, housing more photos and an assortment of novels as well as cookbooks and books for self-improvement. A large potted plant stood by the corner of the room as it’s perched on what appeared to be a high stool, it’s seat a glossy wood but it’s legs were a dark metal. Sitting on the windowsill were four more potted plants, but these were much smaller in comparison to the one on the corner. Baekhyun noticed there was a rather large gap right in the middle of the small potted plants.

“Do you like them?” Kyungsoo’s sudden voice shocked Baekhyun, the latter jumping in his seat in utter surprise, “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t meant to scare you…”

“I-It’s okay…” Baekhyun managed to breathe out in between long breaths, his hand over his chest to will his heart to beat back to normal. HIs eyes peered up at Kyungsoo, who returned from the kitchen with a tray of snacks and a glass of water as per Baekhyun’s request. Baekhyun stared a tad too much on Kyungsoo’s perky behind as the other man leaned forward to place the tray down on the wooden coffee table and organise the magazines into a neat pile to make more space.

“Thank you,” Baekhyun muttered shyly, quickly veering his eyes onto the offered drink and snacks before he would be caught redhanded.

“You’re welcome,” Kyungsoo smiled again then pointed to another hallway, “I’ll just go and change from my uniform. Is that okay?”

“Oh, sure! That’s okay! Yeah!” Baekhyun squeaked in a frantic, mentally slapping himself for sounding utterly ridiculous. He noticed the amused smile on Kyungsoo’s face as he left to change. Baekhyun just wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

A minute later, just when Baekhyun was popping a second pretzel into his mouth, Kyungsoo returned in a pair of shorts and a worn printed tee which looked a little too big. It took all of Baekhyun’s energy to not stare at the other man as he sat down on the couch next to him. Baekhyun noticed Kyungsoo took care to leave just enough space to not be intrusive. Could this guy get any cuter?

“Does your roommate finish work at five o’clock? Which means he’ll be back soon, right?” Kyungsoo asked, leaning over the coffee table to grab a handful of pretzels for himself. He popped a few into his mouth at a time, Baekhyun noticing his careful chewing.

“Yeah,” he answered, “but I don’t know if he’ll be back tonight. He sometimes goes for a drink and never comes home until the next morning.”

“Excuse me?” Kyungsoo’s already owlish eyes grew wider.

“O-Oh, don’t worry! I’ll just stay for a bit then find somewhere else to crash,” Baekhyun all too quickly added.

“That’s okay,” his neighbour replied, giving him another smile, “You can stay for as long as you like. I’m sure your roommate will come back today. It’s not a Friday, so it’s logical to assume he won’t go out drinking tonight, right?”

Baekhyun thought what Kyungsoo said made perfect sense, but then again this was Jongdae they were talking about and that fool was full of surprises. He decided to not bring that up for now though. That wasn’t really important anyway; what was important was how mesmerising Kyungsoo’s eyes were, and how utterly soft the other man looked in a simple tee and shorts.

“You’re cute,” he muttered before he even realised what he just said, seemingly in some kind of daze.

Kyungsoo blinked, having not clearly heard what the author said.

“I’m sorry?”

It was then when Baekhyun realised what he just uttered when it was only meant to be inside his head. “I mean—

“Your plants! Your plants on the window are cute!” Baekhyun quickly covered up his mistake then topped it off with a goofy grin, hoping to the heavens that his cheeks wouldn’t flare too much. Kyungsoo looked a little skeptical, glancing towards his succulents in their simple pots, but seemed to have accepted Baekhyun’s answer anyway.

“Thank you…” he finally said after a moment, clearing his throat before chewing on another pretzel with his gaze turned away.

“So, umm, what do you do? You were in a uniform before, right?” Baekhyun asked just to strike a conversation, or else they would be stuck in an awkward atmosphere. This seemed to bring some light into Kyungsoo’s eyes, happy to have something to talk about whilst they both waited for Jongdae to return.

“I work in a local cafe,” Kyungsoo supplied, “I bake cakes, breads, and all sorts of sweet treats.”

“Oh! It’s no wonder it smells like fresh bread!” This earned Baekhyun a hearty chuckle and he realised then how cute it was that Kyungsoo’s lips formed a heart when he grinned.

“What about you?”

“I’m an author! A freelance author. I write poems from time to time, too,” Baekhyun replied, seeing the genuine interest in Kyungsoo’s expression.

“Really? What genres do you usually write?” Kyungsoo wondered aloud, his head tilted to one side to magnify his obvious curiosity on the subject.

“Romance, mostly,” Baekhyun admitted with a shy bow of his head, also rubbing his nape, “but I do try to branch out.” Kyungsoo grinned again and Baekhyun wouldn’t stop staring.

“That sounds nice. Perhaps I should find some of your stories in the bookshop and see for myself how well you write.”

Baekhyun flushed a shade darker. Kyungsoo reading his written works? Suddenly, he was embarrassed about writing.

“Oh well, they’re not that good…” he muttered, turning his gaze towards the four plants on the windowsill once again as they fell into a brief silence.

“I’m sure they’re amazing! I could use a new novel to read anyway,” Kyungsoo said with another chuckle, glancing over to his bookshelf opposite to where they sat. He turned his attention back to Baekhyun, tilting his head slightly to the side and following Baekhyun’s gaze. “Those are succulents. If you were wondering, that is…”

Baekhyun turned his eyes back to Kyungsoo just as his phone began to ring, the ringtone of his favourite indie band blaring throughout the room. The author pulled out his phone in his haste to stop the noise. He didn't bother to check who was calling and swiftly pressed the device to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Yo! Where are you?” He heard Jongdae’s cheery voice on the other end of the line.

“I’m at Kyungsoo’s. Why?”

“Oh, great! Well, I’m home so I’m locking you out. Bye!”

“What? Hey, Dae! Wait–“ but the line was already dead, beeping into Baekhyun’s eardrum, mocking him just like Jongdae was.

“That bastard!”

* * *

 

“What do you think I should give Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun asked aloud with his cheek propped on his palm, seated comfortably by the dining table with his materials spread over the table once again. He scrolled through the article he was reading on the perfect inexpensive but worthy gifts to give.

“Why are you asking me? I don’t even know him,” was Jongdae’s reply as the other man was busy folding the newly dried laundry on the coffee table. Baekhyun hoped that his roommate bothered to wipe the table clean before using it as a surface to fold his clothes on.

“I’m just asking for opinions…” Baekhyun sighed and slumped back on his seat, lolling his head far back that he’s viewing Jongdae upside down behind him.

For Kyungsoo’s hospitality the other day, Baekhyun decided it would be a nice exchange to give the other man a present. He wanted to give something simple just to express his gratitude for letting him stay whilst waiting for Jongdae to return home. His mind whirred for any ideas, yet he just couldn’t think up of the perfect gift to give.

“Why don’t you just give him a box of chocolates or something?” Jongdae said after a moment of silence between them.

“That’s too generic.”

“But it’s simple. The perfect solution to any gift-giving woes!” His roommate argued, sounding a little puzzled.

“Dae, I know I said I wanted to give him something simple, but a box of chocolates is a little too simple,” Baekhyun countered, heaving another sigh of slight frustration, “It has to be at least a little bit meaningful than some boring chocolates.”

Jongdae gave his roommate a quirk of his eyebrows, but didn’t comment for a few moments. Why was Baekhyun putting a little too much thought into this gift-giving thing? It wasn’t like their next-door neighbour did something so heroic that it saved the whole world. Was there something he was missing? Was there something Baekhyun wasn’t telling him?

“Aren’t you thinking of this gift thing a little too much–“ All of a sudden, the puzzle pieces fitted together in Jongdae’s mind within a snap, causing him to smile in a Cheshire-like way.

“You have a crush on him, don’t you?” Jongdae began in a teasing tone.

“I-I do not!” Baekhyun spat as he quickly sat up, pretending to be busy on his laptop again. Jongdae only smiled even wider and Baekhyun dared himself not to look.

“You totally do! Baekhyun’s got a crush! Baekhyun’s got a crush!” His roommate sang, further teasing the other man with his annoyingly high-pitched voice. “You have on our next-door neighbour! How cliché is that?” Jongdae’s shrill laugh resonated throughout the room. He couldn’t be any louder than he already was, and Baekhyun tried to shush him up.

“I don’t have a crush on our neighbour, Dae!” Baekhyun said in a hushed whisper, “I just met him!”

“That’s a lie! Ever heard of ‘love at first sight’? You totally fell head over heels over him upon first sight!” Jongdae laughed once more and continued to sing in the same teasing manner. Baekhyun pressed his hands over his ears, muffling the annoying song threatening to shatter his eardrums. He guessed that it was really just up to him to think of something to give for Kyungsoo after all.

* * *

 

Kyungsoo sipped on his steaming mug of tea, padding over from the kitchen to the living room. The curtains were drawn over the windows, blocking most of the morning Saturday sunlight from peering into the living space.

He placed his mug down on the coffee table, taking quiet steps towards the covered window and drawing the curtains open. Light spilled into the living room, illuminating everything inside. The light blinded Kyungsoo momentarily, but he didn’t mind it too much.

He peered down at his five succulents, all of which were looking happy whilst perched neatly on the windowsill.

Kyungsoo smiled with a fondness in his eyes.

* * *

 

Loud thuds and discontented shuffling of feet resonated from the small kitchen in the shared Byun and Kim apartment followed by a frustrated groan. There was Byun Baekhyun, the freelance author, standing in the middle of the kitchen at four in the afternoon with his hands on his hips and pursed lips. 

His stomach grumbled aloud, causing the man to wrap his arms over it in a failed attempt to shut it up. He needed food, but there was unfortunately none in the cupboards or at least none he could find. He knew they should’ve went grocery shopping the other day.

“Time for a trip to the convenience store,” Baekhyun muttered to himself, already making his way to the front door after grabbing his wallet and phone. His keys were in his backpack, but he was too lazy to fish them out. He didn’t need his keys though as he decided to just keep the door unlocked instead. Baekhyun intended to be out and back in within a snap anyway.

After slipping on his shoes, he flipped the lock as he was on his way out, closing the door behind him. He speed-walked the short trip from the apartment complex to the convenience store, his eyes frantically scanning through the many packs of instant ramyun on display. He practically snatched two of his favourites off the shelf, paid for them, and speed-walked back to the apartment complex.

Unlike the last time he visited the convenience store, he was completely alone on the elevator trip to his designated floor. He whistled to himself, happy that he’d be feasting on his favourite instant ramen.

His fingers wrapped around the doorknob and he twisted the knob, but it wouldn’t budge.

“Shit,” Baekhyun cursed under his breath, his whole happy mood instantly crashing within seconds. He twisted and turned the knob in different ways, frantically trying to budge his front door open. He was so sure he unlocked the door!

“I left you unlocked, you stupid piece of—“ Baekhyun shrieked in grief as he pulled on his hair. Was this reality? Will he ever leave the door unlocked successfully?

Maybe he just didn’t turn the knob hard enough. The author narrowed his eyes on the front door, throwing daggers through his eyes as it stared mockingly back at him. After a few more seconds of glaring at it, he tried twisting the knob again and again and again. Yet, it still wouldn’t budge.

“I have the worst luck ever,” Baekhyun moaned with a knock of his forehead against the wood, feeling a little sense of deja vu. The elevator dinged not too far away from where he was, and he soon heard faint footsteps growing louder and louder until it stopped about a few steps beside him. He turned his gaze to the side just before the familiar smell of baked bread wafts past his nose, meeting Kyungsoo’s puzzled gaze.

His neighbour offered a polite smile, “Umm, hi.”

“Hey,” Baekhyun replied back, utterly sounding defeated with his tone of voice.

“What are you doing outside like that?” Kyungsoo asked with a slight tilt of his head, his gaze quickly shifting to the plastic bag in his hand then back to his face. “Locked out again, Baekhyun?”

“Kyungsoo… Please…” came Baekhyun’s obvious tiredness. He just wanted to eat. It was that simple, but his own front door just wouldn’t give him the luxury of going through to his own apartment.

Kyungsoo let out an amused chuckle, the sound melodious and strangely soothing to Baekhyun’s ears. He fumbled with his keys and swiftly unlocked his front door, pushing the door open and motioning for Baekhyun to enter before him.

“You’re welcome to come in and stay,” the baker offered with a welcoming smile.

“Oh my God, thank you!” Baekhyun moaned once more as he dashed into Kyungsoo’s apartment, toeing off his shoes by the front door. The other man led him towards the living room once again.

“Would you like something to drink?” Kyungsoo enquired as he hung his coat on his sofa’s armrest.

“Actually, if you don’t mind, is it okay to use your kitchen? I’m really hungry…” the author muttered his last statement almost embarrassedly, longingly glancing down at his instant ramyun purchase.

“Oh, of course! Be my guest. If you’d like, I can make it for you as well,” the other man offered, easily taking the plastic bag off Baekhyun’s hands before the man realised what had happened. He quickly followed after the baker into the kitchen, eager to do the cooking himself. After all, it was his food and it was very simple to make.

“I-It’s okay, Kyungsoo–“

“I insist! You’re my guest,” Kyungsoo smiled as he placed the plastic bag down on the counter, unloading its contents of two packets of instant ramyun.

Usually annoyingly persistent, Baekhyun gave in quickly and stood back to watch his neighbour calmly flit around his kitchen to grab the needed materials to cook. He noticed Kyungsoo moved gracefully—as if like a ballerina—even though it was just to do something as simple as cook instant food. If Kyungsoo ever noticed his staring, the man definitely didn’t comment on it, and Baekhyun was soon offered a delicious steaming bowl of spicy ramyun.

He was led to sit by the provided dining table with a table mat under the bowl, a pair of chopsticks, and a spoon for the soup. Kyungsoo scurried back into the kitchen for a little while then returned with a steaming mug of tea in between his hands, taking residence on the chair opposite to where Baekhyun sat.

The ramyun was just instant ramyun, packed with unhealthy, flavourful goodness, yet it tasted better than when he would make it for himself. How odd.

They exchanged a little bit of small talk as they sat together at the dining table: about their days as well as recent news. Their conversation quickly turned to a discussion of personal interests and childhood stories, talking to each other as if they were old friends rather than neighbours. Baekhyun was reduced to tears halfway through Kyungsoo’s retelling of his first prank on his then best friend. He hadn’t laughed that hard with anyone else other than Jongdae, and it was admittedly a nice feeling.

Without them knowing, the sun began to set outside until it was well past the usual dinner time. Baekhyun noticed Kyungsoo’s eyes glancing towards the clock on the wall, following his gaze to check the time as well.

“Is your roommate coming back soon? He’s awfully late...” Kyungsoo hummed with a purse of his lips, worry evident on his features. “Aren’t you worried about him, Baekhyun?”

“Oh, yeah… About that…” Baekhyun forced a sheepish laugh as he rubbed his nape, having completely forgotten his roommate wasn’t coming back until the following day. “Uhh… He’s at his grandma’s for the night…”

“Oh,” was the only thing Baekhyun’s neighbour supplied for a short while, surprise replacing his previous worry.

“Do you need to spend the night here then?”

“If that’s okay…” the author trailed off, now embarrassed for having to bother his neighbour even more.

“Of course! That’s absolutely fine,” Kyungsoo smiled in reassurance, “You can take my bed. I would offer the guest room, but it’s being used as a storage, and I don’t actually have an extra bed. Not even an extra mattress!”

“But where are you going to sleep?” Baekhyun asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

“On the couch, of course!”

Baekhyun’s mind started to whirr, sirens instantly going off in his head. Kyungsoo definitely shouldn’t be sleeping on his couch. The angel deserved to sleep on his own comfortable bed. Baekhyun could definitely handle the couch! It was just for one single night anyway.

“No way,” refused Baekhyun with determination in his eyes, “You’re sleeping on your own bed! I’ll take the couch.”

“But you’re my guest! You should sleep on the bed, Baekhyun. It’ll be more comfortable.”

“Which is exactly why you shouldn’t sleep on the couch. I’ll sleep on the couch instead. I’ll be fine!”

“Oh, but I insist you take my bed,” Kyungsoo countered. The baker didn’t supply any reason, but Baekhyun was definitely not going to give in too easily this time.

“But it’s your bed, Kyungsoo. I can’t just take it,” Baekhyun reasoned back, and before he even thought it through properly, he added, “How about we share the bed?”

Kyungsoo widened his eyes at that, definitely not expecting that from the other at all. However, his surprise was quickly replaced with persistence in his eyes.

“It’s okay, Baekhyun. You can take the bed. It’s really okay. I’ll fix it up, right away,” the baker stood up from his spot, ready to leave. Baekhyun quickly held him back by the wrist, eyes pleading.

“We’ll just share the bed. I r-really don’t mind,” he watched as Kyungsoo sincerely thought about it. He observed the other man furrow his eyebrows with his plush pair of lips pursed together in a straight line. Kyungsoo’s silence seemed to linger for a long time, and Baekhyun wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Finally, Kyungsoo complied with a soft sigh through his lips, “Okay. I’ll sleep with you.” It was said so simply and casually, as if there wasn’t any other meaning at all behind it—and there truly wasn’t. Baekhyun would’ve thought nothing of it as well if it wasn’t for his foul mind. But, it was whirring in ultra speed, pulling out all sorts of unlikely scenarios, and his stomach was doing odd flips within his belly.

In the middle of that night, Baekhyun could feel Kyungsoo’s mint-scented breath fanning against his face as the other man slept soundlessly. And, if he squinted just a little, Baekhyun could easily make out the other man’s delicate and serene features slightly illuminated by the moonlight partially blocked by Kyungsoo’s semi-transparent drapes.

* * *

 

“What in the world are you doing? Your typing is so damn loud,” Jongdae inquired with a curious raise of his eyebrow, eyeing Byun Baekhyun who was fully entranced on his laptop as the author typed away as if there was no tomorrow. Skeptical, and not receiving any response in return, he rounded the dinner table to where his roommate sat then peered over the man’s shoulder to have a look. 

“Whoa, there!” Jongdae gasped with wide eyes, “You’re writing? Baek! You haven’t written for a long time! What happened?”

As expected, the author didn’t reply, too focused on his task at simply jotting down everything his mind wanted to convey through words. It was true Baekhyun had been on a writing stump for a long time. It was frustrating to not be able to write anything, even if his life depended on it. Literally.

“Are you just going to sit there and ignore me now? Is that what’s become of us?” Jongdae accused although playfully. Then all of a sudden, everything clicked into place, and an amused Cheshire-like grin pulled up on Jongdae’s features. He suppressed his desire to cackle devilishly, but a few laughs slipped out causing his roommate to glance at him with narrowed eyes.

“Shut up, Dae,” Baekhyun huffed, turning back to his writing. This was then when Jongdae finally burst into loud cries of laughter, his giggling and wheezing filling the room and bouncing off the walls. Baekhyun whined in protest while attempting to shove the other man away. Jongdae was becoming a bit of a distraction. “Oh, shut up!”

“But whyyyyy?” The other man whined childishly, sporting a kicked puppy look then cackling some more. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes which he wiped away with his index fingers.

The laughter wouldn’t seem to stop for Byun Baekhyun, and he tried as he might to block the annoying sounds by covering his ears. “You know damn well why!”

“Byun’s got a crush! Byun’s got a crush!” Now his roommate was singing, and it’s just as annoying as his laughter.

“I do not! Shut up, Jongdae! I’ll knee you!”

“My little Baekkie is all grown up now!” Jongdae pretended to sniff snot up his nose and wiped another tear from his eye, easily going into another bout of laughter which resonated throughout their shared apartment. Baekhyun wondered if the other neighbours could hear them. He sure hoped his favourite neighbour wasn’t in his home right now.

* * *

 

Kyungsoo arrived on his apartment floor, stepping out of the elevator and walking leisurely towards his front door after a long and tiring day of work at the cafe. Despite the busy day today, he still had some energy left in him and was thankfully still in a good enough mood to read. He had been slacking off on reading lately, and it seemed like the perfect time to catch up on his novel. 

As he trekked closer and closer to his front door, sounds of yelling and laughter began to grow louder and louder. The baker stopped by his door to listen, turning his head to the Byun and Kim’s closed apartment door with puzzlement.

Just what was going on in there for there to be such a ruckus?

“Sounds like they’re having fun,” Kyungsoo muttered to himself with a small smile, finally fishing out his house keys and unlocking the door to step inside.

Except he stopped from entering as he spotted a folded note placed neatly on the floor. Blinking his wide, owl-like eyes, he leaned down to pick the said note off the floor then went inside his apartment. He shut the door behind him as he inspected the folded note. Kyungsoo was disappointed to find no sender inscribed on it.

Finally, Kyungsoo unfolded the piece of paper and his cheeks flared up at what was written in a messy but still legible scrawl.

>  
> 
> _Roses are red,_
> 
> _Violets are blue._
> 
> _Kyungsoo, no one is as beautiful as you._
> 
>  
> 
> _Sincerely, your secret assmirer, B._

 

* * *

 

It was a fine, crisp morning. Normally, Baekhyun wouldn’t be awake by this hour, but it seemed that his body knew that it would be an exceptionally nice day to wake up earlier than usual. The sun was bright, the breeze was cool, and the morning air smelt fresh too. 

These were why the author was seated at one of the park benches outside that early morning, busily typing away on his laptop to continue on his upcoming novel. The park from his apartment complex was not a long ways away–only about a five-minute walk from the entrance. It was easily accessible, and the perfect place for Baekhyun to get inspiration while nearby his home.

Large crowds soon began to pass by him, distracting him little by little with the noise from the oncoming chatter and shuffling of feet. Baekhyun tried to ignore them for a while, until the noise began to become a bit too much to block out. Checking the time, the author noticed he had been there for nearly three hours anyway, so it was about time he went back up to his apartment. He needed some rest.

Baekhyun saved his progress then shut off his laptop, slipping it into its protective sleeve then zipping the sleeve closed. He packed his laptop into his backpack and slung the bag over his shoulders. He trekked the short distance home, riding the quick elevator ride up to his apartment floor, and walking towards his front door.

He held the doorknob and twisted it, expecting the door to easily budge to let him in since he manually unlocked it before he left that morning. The door didn’t move, and Baekhyun’s nose unfortunately slammed against the wooden door with a loud thump.

“Ow!” Baekhyun winced, nursing his nose with soothing rubs to ease the throbbing pain. His eyes bore daggers on the door. “Stupid door. I unlocked you this time! I checked ten times before I left!” He bellowed to no one in particular, trying his luck on twisting the knob again and again.

“Oh, for crying out loud!”

The door to his right clicked open and out stepped Do Kyungsoo, Baekhyun’s lovely and sweet next-door neighbour. He was dressed in his chef attire, obviously about to head for his late morning shift. Upon noticing Baekhyun busily releasing his frustration on the man’s front door handle, Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks and blinked in surprise. What was his neighbour doing while looking so angered?

“Are you okay?” Kyungsoo asked, catching Baekhyun’s attention straight away. The author’s eyes were wide, as if caught redhanded, and his movements immediately ceased.

“Kyungsoo!” Baekhyun’s voice couldn’t have been more embarrassingly shrill, “Hi! U-Uhh, going to work?”

“Oh, yes. I’m on the afternoon shift for just today…” the baker replied with a soft smile then blinked his doe eyes, his gaze falling on Baekhyun’s hand on the doorknob. “Having trouble with your front door again?”

“I-I suppose so…” the author muttered in reply, throwing another glare at the damned door, “It wouldn’t open. I swear I unlocked it!’

“You didn’t bring your keys with you?”

“No… I was just nearby. I didn’t think I’d need it.”

“And you’re sure you’ve unlocked it,” Kyungsoo asked in confirmation.

“I swear! I checked it ten times, Kyungsoo! I definitely unlocked it!” Baekhyun replied in a frantic, his arms flailing about in a frenzy as he explained further, “I even left Jongdae a note to—“ and he abruptly stopped. His eyes widened in realisation.

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun muttered to himself in horror, looking absolutely betrayed as Kyungsoo looked on at him in utter confusion.

“Your roommate?” Kyungsoo queried with a furrow of his eyebrows.

“That bastard locked me out!” Shrieked Baekhyun, purposely knocking his forehead against the door with a rather loud bang. His forehead throbbed in pain, and he winced at the sting, but he was more annoyed than physically hurt. He was going to kill Kim Jongdae later.

He then heard an amused chuckle–soft, sweet, and melodic to his ears. Turning confused eyes at Do Kyungsoo, he saw the other man softly laughing in mirth, wide eyes crinkled into moon crescents and lips forming a heart-shaped grin. It was beautiful. Baekhyun couldn’t stop staring.

“Your roommate locked you out, huh?” Kyungsoo finally said once he has laughed enough to calm down, immediately offering without a moment of hesitation, “Would you like to stay at my place until your roommate returns?”

“We-Well… If it’s not too much to ask, I’d rather go with you,” Baekhyun mumbled, thinking he had whispered the words too softly for Kyungsoo to hear. Unfortunately, the baker heard all of it, and his smile bloomed into a wider one.

“Of course! You can stay in the cafe,” Kyungsoo offered, turning his gaze to lock his front door while continuing, “I’ll let the baristas serve you coffee on the house.”

Baekhyun bit on his lower lip as he thought about it. The offer was tempting. Coffee shops were one of the ideal places for him to get some work done, and who’d know? He’d probably be able to sneak a peek of Kyungsoo working even though there wasn’t a chance for that considering his neighbour worked in the kitchen most of the time. Baekhyun could use some new scenery anyway.

“Okay,” the author quickly agreed which earned a bright, heart-melting smile from Kyungsoo. After making sure his own front door was locked, Kyungsoo beckoned Baekhyun to follow him to his work. They both walked side-by-side whilst chatting, and Baekhyun momentarily forgot that he was meant to be angry towards his roommate.

* * *

  

Baekhyun was able to get a taste of Kyungsoo’s wonderfully delectable pastries and baked goods that day. He had a cinnamon roll, and a slice of Kyungsoo’s blueberry cheesecake which melted in his mouth with every delicious bite.

Baekhyun felt like he was in heaven.

 

* * *

 

It was the late hours of Saturday. The sun had already set from the sky hours ago, and replaced with the soft glow of the moon. The crowds down below the apartment had diminished considerably to the point that it was now quiet outside, save for the occasional honk of a horn or the sound of a car’s engine. 

With the dishes done and the kitchen as clean as it could ever be, Kyungsoo rinsed his hands under the sink with soap and wiped his hands dry with the kitchen towel he left hooked on the refrigerator door. He switched off the lights from the kitchen on his way out, flipping on the light switch for the hallway leading from the living room to the front door.

Just then, something slips through the tiny crack under his front door, the sound of shuffling catching Kyungsoo’s attention. For a moment, Kyungsoo simply stared at his closed front door with a confused look.

Curious, Kyungsoo approached what appeared to be a piece of paper on the floor. He picked up the note–a folded piece of stationary paper which looked to have been bought from a Japanese specialty shop.

He unfolded the note and blinked his wide eyes at the words scrawled on it in familiar messy handwriting.

>  
> 
> _I love eating your pastries_
> 
> _but can I taste your lips instead?_
> 
> _– B_

 

* * *

 

Bored. Baekhyun was bored. 

He laid sprawled on his unmade bed, staring up at this ceiling with nothing to do. Well, that was entirely untrue as he was meant to continue writing on his new novel. However, he felt he needed a little break after a long week of non-stop writing. Other than writing, there wasn’t really much that needed to be done except cleaning, but that was boring too.

Since it was a weekday, Jongdae was unfortunately out working, unable to entertain the bored author. Sometimes, Baekhyun wished he got a weekday job too, just like his roommate, but he loved his freedom and would never give it up for anything.

“Isn’t there something to do around here?” Baekhyun wondered aloud as he turned his body over to lie flat on his stomach, whining to no one in particular.

Maybe if Kyungsoo was in his apartment, Baekhyun could pay him a visit. There was nothing wrong with visiting your neighbour, right?

Set on at least a plan for something to entertain him, Baekhyun rolled off his bed and finally got up, dusting himself off and toeing on his slippers. He turned his gaze towards his closet, debating furiously within himself if he should even dress up. Would it matter though? Kyungsoo wasn’t someone who swooned over someone else’s looks.

Baekhyun definitely did not just think about how he should even impress his hot next-door neighbour.

“Just be yourself,” Baekhyun simply told himself in a small voice, inhaling and exhaling slowly before grabbing his keys and pocketing them in his sweatpants. Why was he so nervous today? It wasn’t like he hadn’t been in Kyungsoo’s apartment before. Although somehow, this day felt different—special, but in a slightly bad way. The feeling didn’t stir well in his gut, but he tried to ignore it as he jabbed Kyungsoo’s doorbell a few times; a little too much than necessary. Baekhyun hoped that didn’t just annoy his neighbour.

The door clicked open and out peeked Do Kyungsoo, his owlish eyes blinking back at Baekhyun’s in confusion.

“Baekhyun?”

“Ky-Kyungsoo!” Baekhyun spluttered with a rather wide goofy grin. “You’re here!”

“Yeah, I have the day off,” Kyungsoo supplied simply, tilting his head to the side as he asked, “Did you get locked out again?”

“Wh-What?! No!” The author waved his hands over his face, “I came here in my own free will!”

“Is that so?” Baekhyun’s next-door neighbour let out an amused laugh, his heart-shaped smile once again making Baekhyun’s stomach do all sorts of somersaults and tricks.

“Would you like to come in then, Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo offered as he opened his front door wider, allowing space for the other man to slip through and enter his apartment, something which Baekhyun happily did. He perched himself on the couch, making himself as comfortable as he could despite the little turmoil in his head.

“Anything to drink?” Kyungsoo offered as he waltz into the kitchen, Baekhyun’s eyes instantly travelling down to marvel at his neighbour’s swaying bum as he walked. “Maybe some snacks, too?”

“U-Uhh… I’ll just go for any juice you have, Soo,” Baekhyun managed to answer despite the momentary distraction. Once Kyungsoo was gone for a minute, Baekhyun lightly slapped his reddening cheeks, willing for them to die down before his neighbour returned. His attempts thankfully turned successful, and he scrambled to a “cooler” seating position. Again, it was in no way an attempt to impress his neighbour.

He knew he told himself that he should act like himself, but this was getting ridiculous. Something was definitely off with him today.

A little while later, Kyungsoo returned to the living room a bowl of biscuits and pretzels, and a glassful of apple juice atop the tray he was carrying. The man gently placed the tray down on the coffee table in front of Baekhyun, then perched on the couch next to the author with a gentle smile. Baekhyun leaned forward to grab a few pretzels to pop into his mouth.

“What’s the occasion for your day off?” Baekhyun asked before snacking on a pretzel, chewing carefully.

“Oh, nothing grand. I’ve been working to exhaustion lately, I guess,” the baker scratched his chin in thought, “I just thought maybe a day of rest wouldn’t hurt.”

“Oh,” Baekhyun supplied simply, and just like that the conversation died down as quick as it came. Baekhyun thought he couldn’t chew louder than he already was.

“So, what were you doing?” Baekhyun finally asked after a few moments of just eating in silence.

“I was reading, actually,” Kyungsoo replied, leaning over to pick up his book off the coffee table to show the cover to his neighbour. From the title alone, Baekhyun could tell it was a romance novel.

“Is it good?”

Kyungsoo turned the cover of his book towards him, looking pensive. “I think it’s good so far. Lacks that individuality from the rest of the romance novels I’ve read, but it’s still good.”

“That’s good!” Baekhyun flashed a boxy grin.

“Oh! How’s my present for you? The succulent?” Baekhyun asked in between chews of more pretzels.

“It’s doing well,” Kyungsoo offered a smile then stood up from his seat on the couch, dusting his pants and heading towards the kitchen once again. He took just a few minutes and returned to the living room with a small watering can. “You just reminded me that I have to water them today.”

“Did I? You’re welcome then!” Baekhyun chuckled, flashing his pearly whites once more and earning a chuckle.

Amused, Kyungsoo asked, “Is everything okay? You’re usually not like, well, this.”

“ _I wish I knew_ ,” Baekhyun thought to himself.

“I’m just bored,” Baekhyun supplied instead as he stood up from his position on the couch, treading the few steps to the windowsill alongside Kyungsoo and watching the other man water his succulents with so much concern and care in his eyes. Kyungsoo looked so angelic then—so at peace—and Baekhyun had to tear his eyes away to the succulents before he was caught for staring too much again.

His eyes took time to eye each of Kyungsoo’s tiny succulents. They all looked well-cared for; green and plump in their little individual pots. Baekhyun suddenly thought of a new pick up line to write just for his Kyungsoo.

Unfortunately, Baekhyun had this habit of saying his thoughts aloud. It didn’t occur every time—only sometimes—but today was one of those days.

“You have all these succulents but the only succulent thing I see is your ass,” Baekhyun murmured before he even realised what he just uttered.

“I-I’m sorry?” Kyungsoo turned wide eyes at Baekhyun, abruptly stopping what he was doing just to stare at the other man in shock. For a few seconds, Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion then his eyes widened too upon realising what he’d just done.

“I MEANT GRASS!” The author practically shrieked as a cover up, stepping back a few steps in retaliation with his cheeks furiously flushing in red.

“My… grass…?”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, opting not to reply to that.

His neighbour let out a sigh, which sounded a little amused than anything, but the unreadable look on the baker’s face couldn’t tell him much as Kyungsoo put the watering can down next to one of his succulents. He turned to Baekhyun with crossed arms.

“I think we have to talk.”

“Uh, no, we don’t,” Baekhyun answered short and quick, eyes turning everywhere rather suspiciously then averting them back towards Kyungsoo.

Then, all of a sudden, Kyungsoo let out a chuckle. It was soft and melodic, but Baekhyun can bet his whole savings that it was definitely a chuckle. Why was Kyungsoo chuckling?

“Yes, we do,” the baker finally said, a smile gracing his features, “I know you’re the one who slipped those poems and pick up lines under my door.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Baekhyun feigned innocence. However, his stammering made it all the more obvious that it was him all along.

“Don’t be so mysterious about it, Baek. Just admit it already.”

In all honesty, Baekhyun didn’t think he’d be confessing to his next-door neighbour in the other man’s own apartment, because, let’s face it, he wanted his whole confession scene to be disgustingly romantic. Something cheesy like telling the other man on the rooftop of their apartment complex with fairy lights all around them or something. But this was Baekhyun and he didn’t think before he acted sometimes, especially when put on the spot.

“O-Okay! Okay! It was me,” Baekhyun admitted in exasperation, slumping in defeat, “I-I just really like you, okay? You don’t have to—“

“Okay, I’ll be your boyfriend.”

“—accept them if you don’t like them, and I’ll just stop sending you those—Wait, what?” Baekhyun snapped wide eyes at Kyungsoo, flabbergasted.

“I’ll be your boyfriend,” Kyungsoo repeated, this time with a ghost of a smirk playing on his plump lips. The man then turned back to his watering, as if this whole conversation didn’t happen at all. As if they both were just going about their normal days, except this time they were together.

“Boyfriend…” Baekhyun muttered in a whisper, his wide eyes staring down at the floor while still in shock. Did Kyungsoo really just say that? “Wait, really?”

“Yes, Baekhyun. Really,” Kyungsoo replied with his gaze still fixated on his task, although his smile never faltered.

“Really really? You’re not joking, right?”

“Really really,” Kyungsoo answered, and this time he gave Baekhyun a firm stare just to reassure Baekhyun that he was indeed serious.

Baekhyun couldn’t have joyously screamed any louder.

* * *

 

Baekhyun should be writing. He really should be. Well, technically, he was writing however not towards his new novel’s gain, but for his own relationship’s gain. Hunched over a new folded napkin and armed with a blue pen, Baekhyun tried his best to scribble his new pick-up line as neatly as possible. In all honesty, he didn't need to do this—his relationship with Kyungsoo was way past the flirting stage—but this was what Baekhyun did best: flirting. 

At long last, Baekhyun was done with his work and he sat back to admire his work. His penmanship wasn't as messy as usual which Baekhyun honestly thought he should give himself a pat on the back for. Well done, him!

He quickly but neatly folded it up twice just in time for his cup of coffee to arrive to his table.

"Did someone order a cappuccino?" a familiar smooth voice asked and Baekhyun looked up to meet Kyungsoo's warm smile. Baekhyun had to admit Kyungsoo looked gorgeous with his round eyes, cute button nose, dark brown hair, that firm jawline, and those delectable plump lips ready for the taking. Even in his sugar and flour-covered chef uniform, Kyungsoo was gorgeous and no one could convince Baekhyun otherwise.

"Kyungsoo!" Baekhyun chirped in glee, grinning his boxy smile which he knew his favourite baker simply adored to bits. His eyes looked down at the cup of coffee on a saucer in the other's hands. "What's that?"

"A cappuccino with two teaspoons. Just the way you like your cappuccinos," Kyungsoo replied as he placed the caffeinated drink down next to Baekhyun's laptop. The author's eyes lit up.

"Wow, two teaspoons? Lucky for you, I’m a pretty good spooner myself—"

"Baekhyun," the baker shot him a warning look but the said man only grinned an innocent boxy smile in return.

"I see you're busy with your novel," Kyungsoo straightened up, eyeing the pen and folded napkin in the author's hands with amused skepticism.

"Oh hush, my dear. Of course I’m busy," Baekhyun grinned wider then swiftly shoved the folded napkin into Kyungsoo’s pants pocket, earning wide eyes of surprise directed towards him. He then turned the baker around and gave the other’s clothed bum a good pat. "Now run along. Go back to work!"

Kyungsoo covered his butt with both of his hands, his cheeks burning at the display of affection—if he should even call it that in such a setting. Honestly, if Baekhyun weren't his boyfriend, Kyungsoo would've sued the man right about now. Why did he even accept to be this guy's boyfriend anyway? Oh, because of the pick-up lines and poems.

“I thought you wanted to see me?” Kyungsoo argued yet tones of amusement were laced in his words.

“Actually, I have a very nice view of you from this table here, thank you very much!” Baekhyun flashed another grin then added, “Tell your manager a cute guy like you should be at the counter more often. Now shoo! Shoo!” He playfully waved Kyungsoo off back to the counter, hearing soft chuckles from the other man.

Just before Kyungsoo turned to return to his post behind the counter, Baekhyun grabbed onto the other man’s wrist, “Oh, Kyungsoo! Wait!”

“What is it?”

Kyungsoo watched in slight horror as a greasy smug appeared on his boyfriend’s face, and the man didn’t have to guess as he knew what was about to leave Baekhyun’s lips.

“You know, they call me coffee 'cause I grind so fine—“

“I’m going back to work,” the baker swiftly turned back around and speed walked back to his post behind the counter, completely missing the way his boyfriend cackled with a goofy expression. He could feel his cheeks burn a little but he hoped to any being up in the sky that it wasn’t too obvious as he reached the counter, almost forgetting the note Baekhyun sneaked into his pocket earlier.

Slipping his hand into his pocket, he pulled out the folded napkin and without a doubt he was met with another pick-up line written in Baekhyun’s handwriting.

>  
> 
> _I'm going to start watching my caffeine intake,_
> 
> _because, baby, you make my heart palpitate._
> 
> _– B_

 

Two lines. Two pick-up lines in the last two minutes. Kyungsoo had to admit that even though his Baekhyun was disgustingly cheesy, it was still endearing. Despite his cheeks flaring up even more, he couldn’t help but smile.

* * *

 

“This was fun!” Baekhyun piped up as both he and Kyungsoo reached their apartment complex together, standing in front of the elevator doors as they waited for it to bring them to their designated floor. Baekhyun’s smile was genuine—cheeky, but genuine—and he had a little twinkle in his eye, something which Kyungsoo still needed to figure out what it meant. Time can only tell, however.

“You mean it was fun for you?” Kyungsoo replied with an equally playful tone, remembering the countless times Baekhyun tried to hit on him whilst he was working that day, when the author should clearly be focusing on his own work. He chuckled when his boyfriend responded his question with a chirpy “yep".

They both rode the elevator up to their floor in comfortable silence, and sometime in between the ride up, Baekhyun somehow managed to grab hold of Kyungsoo’s hand. He never turned his head to smile at Baekhyun, but the author clearly saw the corners of Kyungsoo’s lips lift up just before the elevator doors dinged to signal their arrival.

Reluctantly, Baekhyun had to let go of Kyungsoo’s hand as they reached their apartment doors. The author stopped fishing for his keys upon spotting a post-it note stuck onto his front door.

>  
> 
> _I’ve locked and barred the door! Have fun! – Jongdae_

 

“What’s that?” Kyungsoo said next to the other, his eyes quickly scanning the words written on the post-it note, then quietly chuckling to himself as he quickly got the message behind it. The pair shared a knowing smile.

“Want to come inside?” The baker offered but never waited for an answer as he pulled Baekhyun into his apartment.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

 

* * *

 

“I’m not a Pokemon—“ 

“Baekhyun—“

“—but you’ve caught my heart.”

“Baekhyun, it’s two in the morning. Go to sleep.”


End file.
